Apparatus for acidulating, drying, and carbonizing fabric webs



"'MarcB. W, 11525; I v

I J. H. WALSH APPARATUS FOR *A'GIDULATING, DRYING, AND cmsomz'we name was Filed April 7, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 ally;

March 17, 1925. 1,530,064

APPARATUS FOR ACIDULATING, DRYING, AND CARBO Filed April 7, 1922 4'Sheets-Sheet 2 J. H. WALSH NIZING FABRIC WEBS 'M'mh 17,1925. 1,530,064

J. H. WALSH I .KIPARATUS. FOR ACIDULATING, DRYING, AND CARBONIZING FABRIC WEBS Filed April '2, 1922 '4 sheets-sheet 5 ailgla' Patented Mar. 17, 1925.

UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH I-I. WALSH, OF BOSTON. MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOIR, TO" JOHNS-MANVILLE,,.

INCORPORATED, NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

APPARATUS FOR ACIDULATING, DRYING, AND CARBON IZING FABRIC WEBS.

Application filed April 7,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH H. VVALsH, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Boston, in the county of Sufiolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Acidulating, Drying, and Carbonizing Fabric WVebs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the treatment of textile fabrics by reagents and heat, and comprises apparatus useful, for example, in treating textile fabrics by acidulating, drying and carbonizing the fabric to facilitate the removal of vegetable matter therefrom. In some of its aspects the apparatus is adapted without substantial change to related treatments such as the removal of animal-fibre impurities from vegetable-fibre fabrics.

. In the acidulating, drying and carbonizing of fabric as heretofore practiced, little attention has been. paid to the matter of economy in the use of heat, although in large cloth finishing establishments the heat wasted in such processes may be a very consider able item of loss. Moreover, as commonly practiced, great difficulty has been experienced in securing uniformity in the product andin so controlling the carbonization process as to avoid damage to the fabric, by reason of the fact that the energy of action of the acid (or other reagents) employed varies with variations both in the temperature and humidity to which the material is subjected during carbonization. If, on the other hand, but one'of such factors is a variable, it is a comparatively simple matter to determine the concentration of the acid by giving to such factor a proper and. determinable value. For example, if the material be first acidulated and then dried to a determinate degree, and then immediately subjected to heat in a substantially air-tight. enclosure,-

the concentration of the acid and its action upon the fibres'may be controlled exactly merely by regulating the temperature and the time of exposure in such enclosure.

I have found that it is conducive to conservation of heat, to economy in space, to avoidance of repeated handlings of the material and to thesuccessful avoidance of escaping acid fumes to perform the drying and carbonizing processes in close prox- 1922. Serial No.- 550,537.

imity to each other, or within the same or connected enclosures. When it 1s deslrable to subject the web to radiant heat and to mg 3 horizontal runs during both drying and carbonizing.

For proper economy in the use ofheat.

this invention provides for housing the drying and carbonizing devices within a suit able enclosure of acid resistant material and for causing the moisture-laden air Within the drying chamber to be discharged therefrom while passing in heat-transferring relationship to air on its way to such chamber. In the practical realization of the invention, and for further saving of heat, the drying chamber may be disposed between compartments in which a. relatively high temperature prevails.

Principal objects of the present invention are accordingly to provide a process whereby fabric vWebs may be treated with a re agent dried iii a uniform and economical manner, and thereafter heated for the reaction, or carbonized, under accurately controllable conditions, and to provide apparatus suitable for carrying such process into effect, such apparatus being of durable character and capable of long continued use without substantial deterioration.

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a housing containing drying and carbonizing apparatus taken on a line such as 0 b of Fig. 2;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on a linesuchas c-0l of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section on the line e; of Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a plan View of an acidulating and preliminary drying apparatus useful in carrying the present invention into effect; an

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the devices shown 'in Fig. 4.- Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, the numeral} indicates the usual tank or other suitable receptacle which dilute acid (or other reagent) may be placed. This tank is-provided with a pair of guide rolls 2 and a fabric depressing roll 3, as Well as a guide roll 4, such rolls serving to cause the web of fabric 5 to pass downwardly in the liquid con,

tained in thetank and then u wardlytherefrom. A drum 6 of relative y large diameter may also be provided, such drum consisting of spaced heads having radial pins or spurs 7 for engagement with the marginal portions of the fabric, such heads bemg mounted upon a shaft 6. A guide roller 8 is arranged adjacent to such drum for causing the web to engage the pins or spurs and after passin around the drum throughout a substantia portion of the periphery thereof, the fabric engages a guide roll 9 spaced somewhat from the roll 8.

Between the rolls 8 and 9 a conduit 10 is arranged through which a current of air, warmed by a heating device 11, may be caused to enter the interior of the drum under suitable slight pressure, as usual. The apparatus thus far described, (which may be like that of prior knowledge) serves to moisten theweb of fabric with acid and then to remove the excess of liquid from the fabric by the exposure of a large area of its surface upon the periphery of the drum to the evaporative' action of the air, such action being assisted by the warm air entering the interior of the drum andpassing out through the interstices of the fabric. The heat employed in this preliminary drying is insufin contact with rolls 12 and 13 and through a slot 14 in the end wall 15 of a' housing, such housing comprising the opposite end wall 16, side walls 17, 18, and thetop or roof 19. The walls'and roof of this housing are preferably formed as indicated in section in Fig. 1, consisting of studs or rafters which support an outer sheathing 21 of any desired material, and an inner sheathing 22 of an acid resistant and preferably heat insulating sheet material such, for example, as

the asbestos and cement a gregate known as asbestos wood. If desired, and in order further to prevent the rapid escape of heat through the walls of such housing, the spaces between the inner and outer sheathings may be filled with a heat insulating substance such for exam le, as asbestos wool, corrugated'asbestos oard, etc., as indicated diagrammatically at 22 in Fig. 1.

I The space. within thehousing is divided by means of a vertical partition into a drying chamber 23 and a carbonizing chamber 23". The partition 23 is preferably of acid resistant material, and is provided with an opening 24 at its lower portion for the pas: sage rgrhe web of fabric from the drying chamber-fin the carbonizing chamber. The end wall 16 of the housing is furnished with a slot 25 for the egress of the fabric, suitable guide rollssuch as 25 being arranged upon the outer surface of such wall, and serving 'mizer device of suitable construction;

., series of openings in which are fitted the end tutes the drying chamber proper.

a partition 26 which serves to define a plenum chamber 43 at. one side of the dr ing chamber, such plenum chamber if desire being furnished with heating coils 27. At the opposite side of the drying chamber, a sec ond partition 27 is arranged, being spaced from the wall 18 to providea chamber for the reception ofa heat interchange 60011;)- S shown, the economizer comprises transverse end walls 28, 29 respectively, provided with portions of open-ended tubes 30, which may be molded of asbestos'wood, or made of or lined with an acid resistant material. In-

.terposed between the partitions 28 and 29 are a plurality of bailie plates 31 for determining the flow-path in the chamber exterior to the tubes. 1 Between the partition 28 and the partition 23 a chamber 32 is provided which communicates with the space between the partitions 26 and 27 and which latter space consti- At the opposite end of the economizer device an educt flue 33. is provided between the partition 29 and the wall '15, leading into the lower end of a pipe 34 having a damper 34, this pipe 34 leading to any desired point for the discharge of the acid fumes from the chamber. An inlet opening 35 is provided in the'top member 19, such opening provid- 1 ing for the admission of air into the spacebetween the tubes 30, and being located adjacent to one end of the economizer structure. Air from such inlet opening passes about the tubes 30, being directed'in a tor; m5 tuous course by means of the baffle plates 31, and is thencedischarged through a pipe 36 which serves to conduct such air to a cas-' ing 37. The casing 3:7 is provided with regulable heating coils 38 whereby the air may be further raised in temperature, and

from such casingthe. air is conducted, from the c0ndu1t39 to a fan 40, actuated by a pulley 41 or other suitable means, and from such fan'the air is discharged through thei 116 conduit 42 into the plenum chamber 43. I

Within the drying chamber two vertically,

disposed series of guide rolls 44, 45 are arranged,-said guide rolls being so disposed as to cause the fabric 5 passing thereover to extend in a seriesof vertically spaced hori-, zontal runs. -Between adjacent runs of the fabric, series of discharge nozzle tubes 46 are provided, such nozzle tubes preferably being of tapering form, and of acid resistant material such as asbestos wood. Each of these tubes is provided with a discharge .slot 47 extending transversely with the width of the fabric, such slots, if desired, bei g of gradually decreasing 130 and in a direction substantially normal to the surface of the material.

All or aselected number of the. rollers44 and may be actuated by meansv of chains such as 45 extending over sprocket wheels such as 44 and 45 arranged within the plenum chamber 43 and fixed uponethe ends of the shafts upon which the respective rollers are mounted. The drivin connections 45 are in the fume-free air of chamber 43. The temperature of the air in chamber 43 may be further raised, if desired, by the coils 27 A- sprocket 45 may besecured to one of such shafts and suchsprocket may receive motion by means of a chain 45 from a shaft 45 projecting through the outer wall of the housing.

Within the carbonizing chamber 23 vertical series of guide rollers 48, 49 are provided, such guide rollers serving to support the fabric in a series of horizontal runs extending upwardly from the lower part of the chamber to the plane of the opening 25.

Between certain of such runs, horizontally arranged steam coils are provided to radiate heat directly against the surface of the fabric to raise the fabricto the carbonizing.

temperature. A secondary heating coil 51 may also be provided in the chamber 23 to adjust the general temperature in this chamber, such coil being provided with a controlling valve 52 upon the outside of the casing if desired. Two or more of the rollers 48 'may be provided with sprocket wheels such as 48, 49 over one ofwhich is trained a chain 52 which extends over-a sprocket .53

upon the shaftof one of the rolls 45. A chain also extends upwardl from sprocket -49 and over sprocket 48- an from the latter sprocket a chain extends to a'sprocket 25 upon a shaft from which the take-up roller 25 may receive its motion,

The drying chamber between the partitions 26 and 27 it will be. noted, is located between the plenum chamber and the economizer chamber so that its outer walls are at all times protected against rapid variations intemperature. I

The material, upon entering the housing, passes over the guide rolls 44 and 45 in horizontal runs and at the same time the operation of the fan causes blasts of the heated air from the'plenum chamber through the slots are subjected successively to the action of these heated blasts of fresh air, by which chamber, which it entersfina hot, -relatively in tubes 46 everywhere to impinge on the surface of the fabric.- Due to the arrange-- ment of the parts, bothsides of the fabric the moisture is rapidly and uniformly evaporated from the material and the latter is brought to a substantially dry condition pr1or to its entranceinto the carbonizing.

dry state. In the latter chamber it moves upwardly, thus being subjected to a gradually increasing temperature in substantially still (1 dry air whereby the carbonization is effected in a certain and eflicient manner, without serious loss ofaheat; Thedesired temperature is thus maintained by the expenditure of vastly less steam than in prior practices. The heat, of such chamber may be varied to a substantial degree by means of S the controllable heating coil5l, so that the final temperature to which the material is subjected may be regulated with nicety. It

Cal

will be noted that the carbonizing chamber is substantially anenclosed chamber. Proto vision may be made for the relief of temperature or pressure in this chamber, if desired, but usually'the door 60, Fig. 2, suflices for the occasional necessity to open its enclosure.

The air expelled from thedischarge nozzles 46 passes into the space 32 and from thence through the economizer 30 to the discharge pipe 34, while the fresh air entering the passage 35 passes in heat transferring re- 1'00; heated air in the tubes, so that the incomin lationship to the outgoing, vapor laden, an"ctiair is heated to a substantial degree priorits entrance into heatingchamber 37 The" device thus serves in an economical manner to dry and carbonize the material, permitting the amount of heat expended to bereduced to a minimum and at the same time, by the efficient application of heat to the material and the conservation of the heat in chamber 23", permitting the operation t0 take place at a lower radiated. temperature than is common, so that the. usual danger'of damage by overheating is. minimized. By the employment of suitable dampers m the inlet and outlet ducts, the temperature and moisture content'of the air in the drying chamber may be nicely determined, such control being also facilitated by the employment of .regulable heatingcoils in the heating chamber and by varying the speed of the fan. a

The apparatus is compact in form, and sinceth'e, main drying devices and the carbonizing chamber are entirely enclosed, there is no discharge of injurious fumes into the space surrounding the apparatus.

While the apparatus has been shown as embodied in a specific structure it is to be understood that various changes and rears rangements in the parts of such structure, or

' substitution for the materials employed,

may well be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

-I do not herein claim the genus containing this invention claimed in my application for process of and apparatus for drying and carbonizing textile fabric filed of even date herewith, Serial No. 550,538.

I claim; 1. Apparatus for drying and carbonizing comprising a housing having its interior space divided by a partition wall into two adjacent chambers, guides in each of said chambers to guide a web of fabric passing through both chambers in series of horizontal runs in each chamber, air-delivering nozzles in one of said compartments arranged to deliver blasts of air against the runs of fabric, and heating coils between the runs of fabric in the other compartment for radiating heat against the runs of fabric, and means for moving the fabric through said compartments in turn. 2. Apparatus for carbonizing acidulated abric comprising a heat-insulated housing, means in said housing for drying and for guiding a freshly-dried web of fabricby progressive movement upwardly from the lower partof a chamber of said housing, means for radiating heat to the fabric, and heating means for maintaining the air contained in said chamber at a certain temperature. 2

3. Apparatus for carbonizing acidulated fabric comprising a compartment havin heat-insulating acid-resistant walls, honzontally-arranged vertically-spaced heating coils in said compartment, means for guiding a fabric web to pass alternately under and over the several coils, and additional and regulable heating means within said compartment. J

4. Apparatus for use in; drying and carbonizing textile fabrics, comprising a housing having a drying chamber, guide. rolls for fabric traversing said chamber, a second chamberadjacent to the dryin chamber,- means for inducing the flow 0 fresh air into said chamber, and mechanism within said second chamber for driving said guide rolls.

trally disposed. drying chamber, a plenum chamber on one side thereof and an economizer chamber on the opposite side thereof, guide rolls within'said drying chamber for supporting a horizontal run of fabric, a series of blast nozzles communicating with said plenum chamber and so disposed as to direct blasts of heated air therefrom against said run of fabric, and means within said housing for subjecting thefabric to a carbonizing temperature subsequently to its exposure to such blasts of air.

7. An apparatus for use in the finishing of textile material comprising a housing having therein means for idmg a web of textile material in a pai comprising a plurality of horizontal runs, a plurality of tapering nozzles extendin transversely between adjacent runs, sai d nozzles having elongated discharge slots, a plenum chamber with which said nozzles communicate, means for causing heated air to flow from said chamber to said nozzles, a carbonizing chamber in said housing,'and means therein for subjecting said web to a' carbonizing temperature.

signed by me at Boston Massachusetts, this twenty-eighth day of January, 1922.

JOSEPH H. WALSH. 

